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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27651374">You've got the Touch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswithhands/pseuds/madswithhands'>madswithhands</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bellum goes by they/them she/her he/him, Bellum prefers going by Brother, But they/them she/her the most, Gen, Getting into trouble with your merc sibling, He comes and goes at major plot points, Hijinks &amp; Shenanigans, Light Angst, Nonbinary Character, Oc lore/story, Rodimus exiles himself from the Lost Light after Overlord instead of letting Drift take the blame, Self-Reflection, but never stays, mostly so that they can say bro and t-pose in front of Rod</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:36:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,080</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27651374</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madswithhands/pseuds/madswithhands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>This is literally self care, but I'm happy if you enjoy it too.</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rodimus &amp; OC (Bellum), Sibling Relationship - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You've got the Touch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is literally self care, but I'm happy if you enjoy it too.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Breath in, then exhale. </p><p>Rodimus did this every morning, every day-cycle. Breathing was the easy part. It was something to focus on as he laid on his berth. Even if his species didn't need to breath, (most of them had picked up the habit from being surrounded by organics over time), it was something to focus on.</p><p>The next was flexing his digits one-by-one. Then clinching his servos, right then left. The routine was something Rodimus had carefully made for himself. It probably would have made Ultra Magnus happy if he were here. But he was on the Lost Light, where he should be.</p><p>It shouldn't have bothered him as much, after all Magnus had been Rodimus' big, blue, nagging shadow. </p><p>But Rodimus missed him all the same. </p><p>He missed Drift. Primus, did he miss him. But Rodimus couldn't, wouldn't let him take the blame for this. </p><p>Overlord was his mistake. Trusting Prowl was his mistake. Hell, maybe even looking for the Knights was a mistake too. <br/>But he refused to allow it to be Drifts' 'mistake'. Because Drift deserved to have a chance. After everything he went through, was much worse than what Rodimus had. </p><p>And even if it had been last minute, Rodimus changing up his words and the betrayed look he had gotten from his best friend, Rodimus did not regret evicting himself from his ship. Well, Drifts ship. <br/>Drift had been the one who had given it to him for the Quest, and Rodimus felt as if he had spat in his friends face for 'leaving'.<br/>And in that short moment of clarity, Rodimus had felt as if the Matrix, all of it, was still in his chassis, giving words of encouragement. </p><p>He hadn't looked back, even as insults had been hurled his way. </p><p>Ultra Magnus would be a great Captain. He had managed the Wreakers, after all.</p><p>And so here we were in the present, a week from when Rodimus had exiled himself from the Lost Light. It was a bit depressing, Rodimus had to admit. Wallowing in his self-inflicted misery. <br/>Letting out a groan, Rodimus pulled himself off of his berth and wandered into the cramped washracks. His spark ached from where Rodimus had taken out his part of the Matrix, putting it someplace safe in his 'office' and had sent a comm to Magnus on where to find it. <br/>After Magnus probably wrote him up for how terrible his glyphs looked; a thought that brought a small smile to Rodimus’ face as he gave himself a thorough clean.</p><p>Blue optics glowed dimly, as Rodimus flicked his spoiler a few times. </p><p>There was a lot to unpack as to why Rodimus had so willingly left the Lost Light. There was the soddy lift off. Then Ore, the sparkeater, and then...Overlord. <br/>One failure after another, going straight to his spark. <br/>Rodimus didn’t know why it hurt as much as it did. He should have been able to brush it off with a grin on his face. But Overlord was another conversation completely. You just don’t brush off a 6-phaser and get away with it. </p><p>And you don’t let your best friend take the blame for it. </p><p>Maybe there had been a little more wisdom his half of the Matrix had implanted in him when it was next to his spark, But Rodimus shook his helm at the idea. </p><p>Rodimus’ was done letting the blame go to another. </p><p>He ideally wondered if Kup, or his ‘brother’, would be proud of him.</p><p>Brother....</p><p>Rodimus smiled to himself once more, as he exited the washracks and went to stand over the equally small dryer. Even the Lost Lights pods were a bit fancy.</p><p>But even as he did so, Rodimus could barely remember a time when he had last seen Bellum, his ‘brother’. If the mercenary could be called such, no mind that Bell’ always called him little one. And Primus wasn’t that a blast from the past, a welcome one, in fact. He’d rather think about the kind creme and blue two-tone flier than simmer in his own mistakes any more.<br/>Bellum was a welcome distraction, wherever the merc had gone to.</p><p>Rodimus remembered getting a ping from him, saying he was on Ion and asked if Rod wanted to be his plus one since the war was officially over. </p><p>Which wasn’t much of a surprise, seeing as Bell’ hadn’t thought the war was for Rodimus at all. ‘Faction isn’t therapy, Rod.’ Rodimus faintly recalled the flier saying, giving the Autobots with him a scoff as he polished his scope. ‘And I doubt the Autobots’ have many therapists lyin’ around.’</p><p>That was before Bellum had followed them for a while, little Hot Rod’s plus one. He had held Hot Rods’ servo, the one with the detonater, and said in a whisper, ‘Your pain is mine to bare as well, Brother. Two flames to burn down our home.’ Another helm pressed against Hot Rods’ forehelm. ‘They don’t get to take our home away from us. It’s our choice, this burden that we share alone.’</p><p>Then they pressed down. And let the flames consume them.</p><p>Rodimus shook his helm a bit, servos shaking a bit as he entered the navigation room.<br/>It made him wince a bit that he never had replied to Bellum’s ping, but Rodimus knew Bell wouldn’t take it personally. ‘Mister Big Shot now, huh? Can’t give your brother a hug?’ Bell was all sharp points and curves. A dangerous beauty, from what Springer had mumbled when the green mech had first met him. </p><p>Still...Rodimus pulled up Bellum’s frequency on his comm. A smug face filled his vision for a second, face not as sharp as it used to be. Bellum must have gone through another frame-change again. Bell’ seemed to be a femme again, no suprise there. As well as dark green and gold. The femme was obsessed with new frames no matter how they felt. </p><p>But Bell’ would always be his brother. </p><p>The comm rung a few time, until a cool voice opened up the comm.</p><p>“Mmh? Rodster?” Bellum sounded half-awake, most likely just having woken from recharge judging by the slur in her voice. “What can your big brother do for ya?”</p><p>Rodimus took in a breath, then another one. “That plus one still open?” He asked.</p><p>He could practically feel Bellum sitting upright and grinning from audial to audial. </p><p>“Oh Rod.” She started. “I thought you’d never ask.” She replied.</p>
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